While 3D has taken off at the movie theaters in recent years, 3D at home hasn’t. ESPN, the largest sports media operation in the country, was one of the first to welcome 3D television but today the company said it is shutting its ESPN 3D network by the end of 2013 because of low viewership.
“Due to limited viewer adoption of 3D services to the home, ESPN is discontinuing ESPN 3D,” an ESPN spokesperson told CNET shortly after an ESPN employee tweeted the news. But the spokesperson noted that the moment that “if or when 3D does take off” ESPN might take another stab at 3D.
ESPN 3D was great at home but due to low adoption of 3D to home, we are discontinuing to focus on other products for fans and affiliates
— Katina Arnold (@KatinaESPN) June 12, 2013
According to the Associated Press, ESPN 3D debuted in 2010 after Avatar sparked the popularity of 3D at the movies. ESPN thought that people would be interested in 3D programs at home, too, but paying an extra $5 for a movie ticket is much less extreme than a more expensive television. Viewers with 3D TVs also have to wear 3D glasses, something that could make watching an entire football or baseball game difficult.
The makers of television sets have moved on from 3D and are now focusing on Ultra HDTV.